Amid the excitement for the Cowboys‘ receiver group, especially the hugely productive new star George Pickens, it would be relatively easy to forget that a little more than a year ago, Dallas made another trade for a wide receiver. And while it gave up a third-rounder and a late swap for Pickens, the cost for the 2024 wide receiver was a fourth-round pick. Hard to believe but, yes, Pickens was not that much more expensive in terms of Cowboys draft capital than Jonathan Mingo.
You’d be forgiven if you forgot about Mingo. It appears the Cowboys have, too.
We are through 11 of this NFL season, after all, and Mingo has yet to suit up for Dallas in 2025, despite having brought him on in a trade from Carolina last fall. Mingo caught five passes for 46 yards last year, but has not played since.
Behind Pickens and CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys have mostly used Jalen Tolbert, KaVontae Turpin and Ryan Flournoy.
Cowboys Say Jonathan Mingo Could Play This Week
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer, though, made a surprise revelation while answering questions with reporters on Friday. Schottenheimer said Mingo may finally be ready to make his 2025 debut.
The big thing for Mingo: Showing he can play special teams.
“Jonathan is a guy we are excited about, we want to see him play,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s been a competitive battle between he and a couple of the guys for that last spot. It comes down to not just offense, but special teams as well. My big thing for Jonathan is just, hey, can you play all the spots, can you do all the different areas?
“So, he understands that is where he needs to go, and there’s a chance he is activated this week.”
Brian Schottenheimer Praises Cowboys’ Malik Hooker
Schottenheimer had praise, too, for a player who made his return to the field in Week 11 against the Raiders–Cowboys safety Malik Hooker, who had been out with a toe injury since Week 4. Hooker had been playing limited snaps, with 44 on Monday night, but brought some order to Dallas’s back end of the defense.
Said Schottenheimer: “Absolutely, when you talk about a defense, especially one that has had as much change as we did last week, the safeties are just such a confidence boost because they really get everything aligned, along with the linebackers—close calls, things like that, communications with the changed formations. …
“But he and Donovan (Wilson) have been so good to have those guys back. I thought he played really well last week.”
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